Silo-bracing.



Patented Mar. 27,1917.

2'SHEETS-SHEET 2- wneoo j# QM 'NIMH /IIHIIl @Trou/legs of Virginia,

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

JACOB M. HOUFE 0F MADISON, VIRGINIA. yASSIGIN OR TO PETER L. HARGETT, OF

FREDERICK, MARYLAND.

SIDO-BRACING.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

Application led February 26,1916. Serial N o. 80,717. l

To all rwhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JACOB M. HOUFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Madison, in the county of Madison and State have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Silo-Bracing, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. Y

This invention relates to a system of bracing devised primarily for use in connection with silos, although equally applicable to other structures'in which similar conditions are encountered, such as tanks, towers, and the like.

The ordinary silo, composed of a cylindrical series of vertically disposed staves, has been found to be subject to failure in two ways. First; wind pressure, unequal settling of the foundation, and other influences tend to move the structure out of plumb, or to overturn the same entirely. Second; wind pressure, eccentric loadin and other influences tend to distort the silo by twisting the same in such a `way as to bring the staves into a more or less inclined or oblique position, the staves moving longiltudinally upon one another; this tendency having as its ultimate effect a complete collapse of the structure. In addition to theseV causes of failure it is found that old silos, by reason of unequal loading, warping, or otherwise, display a tendency, increasing with age, to lose their original truly cylindrical form, which tendency, if not corrected, results eventually in an unsightly and materially weakened structure.

To counteract the first cause of failure above referred to, it has been customary to employ stays or guys which are attached to upper portions of the silo and extend outwardly and downwardly radially of the silo, their lower ends being suitably anchored in the ground. This form of bracing, while serving to -prevent the failure of the silo from tipping over, or, as a whole, leaving its vertical position, will not prevent the failure of the silo by twistingthat is to say, by the angular displacement of the individual staves.

In order to counteract this second cause of failure there has been proposed a form of bracing comprising a double series of oppositely inclined stays attached at their upper ends to the top of the silo, extendmg down- -which means wardly and spirally thereabout, and anchored in the silo foundation. rI hisform of bracing, while effectually preventing the twisting of the silo, offers very little resistance to lateral wind pressures, and none at all to distortion caused by settling of the foundation, since the members thereof are connected to the foundation itself. Moreover such bracing must be put in place when the silo is built and is therefore not applicable to an old silo which has shown signs of failure.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a single simple system of bracing which is capable of effectually re- A second object of the invention is to proi vide an improved attaching and anchoring means for the guy members of the bracing, are simple and inexpensive in character, easy of application, and secure and otherwise eiicient in operation.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, together ywith means whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be understood by the following description off certain forms or embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that the particular constructions shown -and described have been chosen for illustrative purposes merely, and that the invention, as defined by the claims hereunto otherwise practised without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. n Y

In said drawings:-

Figure l is a front elevation, Fig. 2 a plan view, and Fig. 3 a rear elevation of a silo provided with bracing constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention, the roof of the silo being omitted.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view ofthe means for anchoring the guy members at their lower ends. Y

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal sectionalview illustrating the attachment of the bracing to the top of the silo. Y

Fig. 6 is a detail' perspective -view of a appended, may be F said members are bracket employed in an alternative construction hereinafter described.

Fig. 7 is a detail vertical section, and Fig. 8 a detail perspective view of the devices for connecting the guy members with their anchoring means.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective View of a modified form of connection.

The silo hereinV shown may be of any usual or well known construction, comprising a cylindrical series of vertically disposed staves 12, resting upon a suitable masonry or other foundation 13, and held in place by a suitable number of bands or hoops 1i, said silo being provided with the usual vertically extending doorway 15'having the requisite number of horizontal braces 16.

The bracing constituting the present invention comprises a single, continuous bracing member which, in the construction shown, extends completely about the silo circumferentially thereof. Said bracing memberis secured Valternately to the silo and to the ground, and comprises, between such points of attachment, a series of alternately oppositely inclined sections, constituting guy members, and designated as a whole by the numeral 17. The points of attachment of said bracing member to the silo are adjacent the top thereof, while the points of anchorage in the ground are locat-ed horizontally beyond the foundation 13. Each of the guy members is straight, and each is angularly disposed or inclined with respectto the vertical, as viewed in elevation in Figs. 1 and 3. As viewed in plan, each of said guy members is also inclined to the radius of thev silo at the point of connnection of said guy member to said silo. In other words, as viewed in plan, the position of each of the guy members is'intermediate the radius and the tangent to the silo wall at the point of attachment thereto (see dotted lines, Fig. 2), although preferably rather nearer the latter than the former. Also the construction is preferably such that the guy Vmembers do not intersect one another within the vertical height of the silo, but, if extended, would intersect at their upper ends at a point vert. cally beyond or above their points of attachment to the silo, and at their lower ends at points below the surface of the ground.

lt will be seen that a bracing of the general character just described, is capable of resisting both of the causes of failure above referred to. By'reason of the inclination of the guy members, as viewed in elevation, and their anchorage in the ground at points hori- Zontally removed from the base of the silo,

adapted successfully to resist lateral wind pressures and other influences tending to overturn the silo or to move it out of plumb. Also, by reason of their inclination to the radii of the silo, or Y their approximately tangential arrangement with respect thereto, they serve effectually to prevent twisting of the silo, alternate members resisting twisting in opposite directions, respectively.

The general nature of the improved bracing forming the subject matter of the present invention having thus been explained, the preferred details of construction will now be described.

The guy members 17 comprise cables, ropes, rods, or thelike, 18, provided at their lower ends with suitable anchoring means hereinafter described and att-ached at their upper ends to the silo. In accordance with the preferred construction, the cable 18 of two adjacent guy members is in one conf tinuous piece which, as shown most clearly so Y.

in Fig. 5, passes inwardly through a suit-V ably disposed opening adjacent the upper end of one of the staves 12 and through a preferably metallic, interior hoop or ring 19 located adjacent the top of the silo at the interior thereof, thence for aV short .distance circumferentially of theA silo at the interior thereof, and thence outwardly through the hoop or ring 19 and an opening in another of the staves 12. The openings in the staves 12 may, if desired, be provided with suitable bushings 20. .T wo of the guy members 17 are located at opposite sides, respectively, of the doorway l5, the cable 18 of said members passing through the tops of the side members 21 of said doorway, and the portion of said cable intermediate said members 21 passing along the inner side of the brace 16 at the top of said doorway, the hoop or ring 19 being suitably formed at this point to fit said brace.

If preferred, a separate cable 18 may be provided for each of the guy members 17 in which case each of said cables may be suitably secured at its upper end in an eye 22 (see Fig. G) of a U-shaped bracket 23 bolted or otherwise suitably secured at the proper point to the wall of the silo adjacent the top thereof.

The anchoring means for the guy members, as shown most clearly inrFig. il, comprise a series of V-shaped members 24k composed of suitably bent rods. The apices of the members 2a enter the ground, andv their upwardly extending arms are threaded at their upper ends, as shown at 25. VLocated in the bights of the members 24, and firmly embedded in the ground, are logs or other anchoring members 26.

For connecting theV members 24 and cables 18, there are (inraccordance with the ypreferred construction) providedA plates 27, shown in detail in Figs.r7 and 8, formed at their lower ends with perforated flanges or lugs 28 through which the threaded ends 25 of the arms of the members 24: extend, such threaded ends being provided with nuts 29 engaging the upper surfaces of said flanges or lugs. By adjusting the nuts 29 the effective length of the guy members may be increased or diminished, thereby controlling the tension on said members. The lower end of each of the cables 18 passes a plurality of times through suitably disposed openings 1u the plate 27 and is turned back upon itself, as shown in Fig. 7 the contiguous overlapping portions of said cable being clamped together and to the plate 27 by means of a U-shaped bolt 30 passing through suitably disposed openings in said plate and provided with nuts 31.

An alternative form of connection is shown in F ig. 9, said connection comprising a double sleeve or perforated lug 32 through one portion of which extends the threaded end 25 of the member 241:, and through the other portion of which extends the lower end of the cable 18, the latter being turned back on itself and secured to the body of the cable by any suitable means, as by wiring 33.

The members 24: and connectors 27 or 32, as also the brackets 23, when the latter are employed, form, in eect, continuations of the cables 18, so that the bracing member, as as a whole, is rendered continuous, as above explained.

The anchoring means 24, 26 herein shown being independent of the foundation 13, it will be seen that the bracing herein described will serve securely to hold the silo against failure due to the unequal settling of said foundation or other distortion thereof, any necessary adjustments in the length and tension of the guy members being readily eected by means of the nuts 29.

It will also be seen that the anchoring means shown and the means employed forv attaching the bracing to the top of the silo, are such that said bracing may be readily applied to any existing silo, and when so applied said bracing may be utilized to correct any misplacement or distortion of said silo. By reason of the non-radial position of the guy members17 (as Viewed in plan), tightening of said members may be utilized to straighten up a twisted silo by drawing the staves into proper vertical position, while, by reason of the non-tangential arrangement of these guy members, tightening thereof may be utilized, not only to restore a tilted silo to vertical round up, or restore to cylindrical form, a distorted silo, by drawing out any flat places which may have developed therein.

If desired the hoop or ring 19 may be omitted, or instead thereof a series of separate plates may be employed, one for each pair of guy members.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with a silo or the like, of a bracing therefor comprising a plurality of pairs of guy members, each of said pairs comprising a continuous bracing member passing inwardly and outwardly through the wall of said silo intermediate said guy7 members.

2. The combination with a silo or the like provided with an interior hoop or ring, of a bracing for said silo comprising a plurality of pairs of guy members, each of said pairs comprising a continuous bracing member passing inwardly and outwardly through said hoop or ring intermediate said guy members.

3. The combination with a silo or the like provided with a doorway, of a bracing for said silo comprising a plurality of pairs of guy members, each of said pairs comprising a continuous bracing member, and the guy members of one of said pairs being located at opposite sides of said doorway, respectively, the bracing member intermediate said last named guy members passing inwardly and outwardly through the wall of said silo and along the inner side of said wall at the top of said doorway.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' t JACOB M. HOUFF.

Copies o! this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

position, but also to It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 1,220,227, granted March 27, 1917, upon the sipplication of Jacob M. Houff, of Madison, Virginia, for an improvement in Silo-Braoing, Were erroneously issued to Peter L. Hargett, as assignee of the entire interest in said invention, Whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to the inventor, said Houj', and Peter L. Hargett, jointly, said Hargett being assignee of one-half interest only, as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same mayl conform to the. record of the oase in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of April, A. D. 1917.

[SEAL] i F. W. H. CLAY,

. i Acting Commissioner of Patents. Cl. 217-4. 

